Vinsobres

Vinsobres, along with Beaumes de Venise, has cause for celebration, having been promoted to a stand-alone appellation in 2006 but now overtaking Cairanne, Rasteau and 12 or so other Côtes du Rhônes villages in the local hierarchy. This is primarily due to the relative altitude of the vines being recognised for lending complexity and structure to the wines.

Learn more about Vinsobres

Vinsobres, along with Beaumes de Venise, has cause for celebration, , having been promoted to a stand-alone appellation in 2006 - in the vein of Gigondas or Vacqueyras - but now overtaking Cairanne and 12 or so other Cote du Rhone villages, in the local hierarchy.

This is primarily due to the relative altitude of the vines being recognised for lending complexity and structure to the wines. None are better at demonstrating this than the husband and wife team Philippe and Valérie Chaume Arnaud.

Philippe is very proud of the Demeter accreditation his estate has achieved, which has long been the leading light in this recently elevated Cru. He always has a pleasingly pithy turn of phrase to describe a vintage, and when we visited him to taste the vintage en primeur, he praised both the concentration and tannic harmony of 2015, adding that it is “more olive than spice” in profile. And so it appears… A regal colour presages a suitably refined nose, its dark fruit and spice underwritten by a whiff of something savoury, jambon cru maybe, courtesy no doubt, of the Mourvèdre. Figs and white chocolate join more usual descriptors such as myrtle, plum and griotte on the palate. There is good concentration here and the finish is strong. Drink now to 2022.Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

Domaine Chaume-Arnaud is owned and run by Valérie and Philippe Chaume-Arnaud, who own 13.5 hectares situated in and around Vinsobres. Their reds are made up principally of Grenache (60 percent), with Syrah (20 percent), some ancient Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre (10 percent), plus Viognier and Marsanne (10 percent). Yields are kept low, all soil treatments are organic and harvesting is done solely by hand. Most of the vines average 30 years in age, going up to 65 for the Carignan in the Vinsobres cuvée. Philippe looks after the vines while Valérie works the cellar, all under the watchful eye of her parents – her mother's method of tracking Philippe down is to drive literally into a vineyard and stand and scream at the top of her voice until he appears.

Cadène is made up of three co-planted and elevated parcels of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, with an average age of over 90 years. The undulating hills are described, rather poetically by Philippe, in terms of a “bossu” (hunchback), and their differing aspects certainly contribute to the complexity. The natural freshness of Vinsobres underwrites the generosity in 2015, with Mourvèdre spice and Grenache flesh all harmoniously entwined. Drink 2019 - 2026.Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

Domaine Chaume-Arnaud is owned and run by Valérie and Philippe Chaume-Arnaud, who own 13.5 hectares situated in and around Vinsobres. Their reds are made up principally of Grenache (60 percent), with Syrah (20 percent), some ancient Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre (10 percent), plus Viognier and Marsanne (10 percent). Yields are kept low, all soil treatments are organic and harvesting is done solely by hand. Most of the vines average 30 years in age, going up to 65 for the Carignan in the Vinsobres cuvée. Philippe looks after the vines while Valérie works the cellar, all under the watchful eye of her parents – her mother's method of tracking Philippe down is to drive literally into a vineyard and stand and scream at the top of her voice until he appears.

Rhône 2010 Berrys' Best Buys - Southern Belles This is wonderful quality wine from the masters of the Southern Rhône wines, the Perrin family. This seems expensive for a “lowly” Vinsobres, but a whiff of the wine in the glass tells you it’s anything but. It is full, rich, spicy and delicious, so in fact, great value for money!(Chris Pollington, BBR Fine Wine)

The name Vinsobres, with its oxymoronic meaning, is easy to remember, and so it should be, as its fruits are amongst the purest and most elegant in the whole valley. Recognising potential, the Perrins have invested heavily here and this wine is, as a result a worthy flag-bearer for the village.Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

Few developments have been as telling or as significant as the progress made by the Perrins in the villages outside of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape fortress. Their aspiration has been clear and it has been honourable; through ownership, partnership and, where appropriate, acquisition, they wish to build a portfolio which shows the very best in the very best of the terroirs which these villages have to offer and thereby to promote both the Perrin philosophy, which is focused on quality and quality only, and in the process, to raise the profile of the region as a whole. The progress made to date has been most impressive! The artists formerly known as Perrin Père et Fils now prefer the title of La Famille Perrin...

A 90-year-old plot, co-planted with Syrah and Grenache, Les Hauts de Julien is the definitive statement of the potential of Vinsobres. In 2013 the Syrah is in the ascendant—in every sense—lending a creamy, almost blueberry, profile to the ensemble. Unfiltered and very pure, Les Hauts de Julien is a conspicuous success in 2013 and leads the way for cooler climate, higher altitude wines from the Southern Rhône.Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Deferential perhaps to what the Chapoutiers have achieved in the north with their single plots in Hermitage, the Perrins have segregated their top domaines into a ‘parcellaire’ category. Fully owned and farmed on the most rigorous organic principles, these exciting wines reflect the family’s faith in the villages of Vinsobres and Gigondas, the hillside locations of which chime with changing meteorological and climatic patterns.

A worthy ambassador for Vinsobres, Les Hauts de Julien is made in equal measure from Grenache and Syrah, many of the vines over fifty years old. One is struck by purity and poise, from the floral aromatics, blackberry fruit, graphite and earth, all the way through to the long, refreshing finish.

The red Cadène is a GSM blend, with equal shareholdings for the Grenache, the Syrah and the Mourvèdre. Darker, denser and more tannic than its sibling, its old-vine fruit is hitherto reticent, but will over time reveal itself and its full gastronomic potential. Drink 2019-2024. Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer